Thread: Feinstein's press release on not offering AgJOBS to Farm Bil

Statement of Senator Dianne Feinstein on her decision not to offer AgJOBS as an amendment to the Farm

U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today announced that she will not offer a measure to create a stable, reliable agricultural work force - known as AgJOBS - on the farm bill under consideration this week by the Senate. The following is the text of her statement:

"I had every intention of offering legislation to create a stable reliable agricultural worker program - known as AgJOBS - as an amendment on the farm bill. This is something I've been working on for a long time now. Our allies in agriculture - growers, farmers, and labor - have been rallying the troops. We've been lobbying members and counting votes. And we were prepared to fight the good fight. When we started this effort, we knew it was an uphill battle because immigration reform is such a hot button issue. But we knew that it was critical for the U.S. agriculture industry to pass this bill, and we knew that a majority of Members in the Senate supports AgJOBS. Why is this so important? Because without it, we will continue to see labor shortages far into the future. Fruit will rot. Crops will go unharvested. Operations will be forced to cut back or move to Mexico. And U.S. agriculture will lose market share to growers abroad - in China, in South America, in Europe. We know that we can win this. A broad bipartisan coalition of members believe AgJOBS is a necessary solution to the crisis being faced by the agricultural industry. But in this session, unfortunately, you need more than broad support - you need the right time and opportunity to line up as well. So when we took a clear-eyed assessment of the politics of the Farm bill and the defeat of the DREAM Act and comprehensive immigration reform, it became clear that our support could not sustain these competing forces. Unfortunately, many of our supporters believe they cannot support AgJOBS on the Farm bill. So after numerous meetings and discussions, we have decided not to endanger the broad support for AgJOBS by taking a non-representative vote on the Farm bill. But this fight is not over. We will be seeking time for this bill on the Senate floor - perhaps this winter or early next year. I am writing to Majority Leader Harry Reid and asking for floor time designated for the consideration of AgJOBS. And if there is another legislative vehicle that is a viable option, we won't hesitate to move AgJOBS as an amendment. And if any immigration amendment is offered to the Farm Bill, I will not hesitate to offer AgJOBS as a second degree amendment. Bottom line: I am committed to moving AgJOBS in whatever way that I can this year. We will not give up the fight."
http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigr ... of-se.html

I find the blue type very easy to read

It wouldn't hurt to still make a few phone calls, faxes and e-mails to drive a nail in the AgJOBS coffin. Afterall, Feinstein, wants to bring it back, ZOMBIE like, anytime.

We will be seeking time for this bill on the Senate floor - perhaps this winter or early next year. I am writing to Majority Leader Harry Reid and asking for floor time designated for the consideration of AgJOBS. And if there is another legislative vehicle that is a viable option, we won't hesitate to move AgJOBS as an amendment. And if any immigration amendment is offered to the Farm Bill, I will not hesitate to offer AgJOBS as a second degree amendment. Bottom line: I am committed to moving AgJOBS in whatever way that I can this year. We will not give up the fight."

And WE THE PEOPLE will NOT give up the fight against this HUGE and unncessary AgJOBS amnesty either !

2 emails I received from Feinstein today:

Thank you for writing to me about the "Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits and Security Act of 2007" (AgJOBS). I appreciate you taking the time to write on this important issue and I welcome the opportunity to respond.



I understand your concerns about the impact of illegal immigration on California and the country as a whole. While our country has been, and continues to be, enriched by ethnic and cultural diversity, illegal immigration is jeopardizing our immigration system as a whole. At the same time, our farmers and growers are in a crisis. The California Farm Bureau reports labor shortages as high as 30% and as a result, crops have been left un-harvested. The fact is that many Americans refuse to do this work and in fact, a couple of years ago, I asked my staff to file advertisements with welfare employment offices throughout the state of California. Despite such efforts, no American workers ended up responding. AgJOBS provides a bi-partisan solution to this ongoing problem. The AgJOBS bill is a means to streamline the current agricultural guest worker program, and is limited to legalizing those workers who have been working in agriculture and have committed to working in agriculture in the future.



Please know that I will keep your thoughts in mind should this or other immigration-related legislation come to the Senate floor.



Again, thank you for writing. I hope you will continue to keep me informed on issues of importance to you. Best regards.



Sincerely yours,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator


Thank you for writing regarding the deportation of Ms. Elvira Arellano. I appreciate your thoughts on this topic, and welcome the opportunity to respond.



As you may know, Ms. Arellano came to Washington State illegally in 1997. She was deported to Mexico shortly thereafter, but again entered the country illegally in 2000 and moved to Chicago, Illinois. While in Chicago, she worked as a cleaning woman at O'Hare International Airport until she was arrested in 2002 during a post-September 11th security sweep at the nation's airports and convicted of working under a false Social Security number. In order to avoid deportation again, Ms. Arellano took refuge in Adalberto United Methodist Church, where she remained for more than a year before she was arrested in August 2007 after leaving the church. Ms. Arellano was deported shortly after her arrest.



This case further indicates that the current immigration system is not working - our borders are broken, our national security is compromised, and there is no feasible way to identify and deal with the 10 to 12 million undocumented people now living in the United States. I believe that there must be a two-pronged approach to immigration reform - both strengthening our borders and creating a mechanism for illegal aliens already in the United States to come out of the shadows and to legalize their status. Please know that I understand your concerns about Ms. Arellano's case, and will certainly keep them in mind as the Senate continues to consider immigration reform.



Again, thank you for writing. I hope that you will continue to write on matters of importance to you. Should you have any further comments or questions, please feel free to contact my Washington, D.C office at (202) 224-3841. Best regards.

Sincerely yours,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator

The fact is that many Americans refuse to do this work

We know that is BS. Ask her to provide you the quantitative data from studies that lead to her conclusion. Also, tell her you want to be put in touch with the sources of "the data" that lead to this conclusion. I don't believe it exists.

creating a mechanism for illegal aliens already in the United States to come out of the shadows and to legalize their status.

She is pro-illegal alien and an amnesty lover through and through.